See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson

Originally published in May 2005, on my original 52 Books blog.

I read this funny romance over the weekend. When journalist Jane Alcott is asked to cover the ice hockey beat while the regular reporter is on sick leave, she jumps at the chance. Not only is it a better paying job than writing her monthly “sex and the city” type column, but it is a step up the journalism ladder for her. She is expected to cover all the Seattle Chinooks’ games, and it quickly becomes clear that her presence on the team plane and in the locker-room is not wanted. She meets with hazing that might discourage a less determined woman, and open hostility from sexy goalie Luc “Lucky” Martineau, whom Jane secretly fancies. After an incident where she is first fired for bringing the team bad luck, and then rehired for bringing them good luck (by barging into the locker room and giving them a goodbye speech) a ritual develops between Jane and the team that gets funnier and funnier as the story progresses. The incident also serves to show Luc that she is a real person with feelings and a strong character, and he becomes attracted to her in spite of her being nothing like his usual bimboesque "girlfriends". But love’s journey doesn’t run entirely smooth, and Jane’s moonlighting job just might put a boulder in their path.

With plenty of funny verbal sparring, interesting details about ice hockey, and believable characters, this is a good book to spend an afternoon with. 3+ stars.